Friends
by Simeon The Conqueror
Summary: Two friends, Sasuke and Naruto, confront each other for a final time, with burning wreckage all around them, they fight. (One shot)


The Great Big Naruto Short Story Novel–A Collection of Naruto Stories

By Matt Sterling

Author: This is a complete set of nothing but original short stories from the series known as Naruto. Each story is different, and some may be big enough to reach through more than one chapter. Each stories name will be the chapters name, and this chapter here will also host its own short story.

So far I have only done one story (at the time of this posting) and it was already posted, but as I came up with the concept I edited the story and changed its name, as it wouldn't be a repost. My updates will be (or as I hope and will try to) every week.

Think of this as an Aesop's Fables kind of thing, without that whole morale after every story.

Friends

". . .there are days when you can look out your window and smile at the ever-present beauty of the world around you, then you can blink, and it will all be gone. . ."

Naruto stood, bandaged, blood flowing through the gaping spots in each of the white strips. Blood was starting to stain through the bandages themselves, and their moisture caused him to scratch his neck every once in a while, but he kept himself focused on the task in front of him.

Standing, not five feet away from him was Sasuke. All around them stood the buildings of Konoha, embarrassed at their current state. They had once been so beautiful and so elegant and had reached to the sky. Today, though, they sat at the ground, seeing the world through a new perspective.

Sasuke's fists were clinched, as were Naruto's, and blood slowly flowed through the small gap in the skin of his fingers and palm. "Give up Naruto, this is the second time you've tried and this is the second time you will fail,"

Unhurt and untouched by the words that left his mouth, Naruto smiled at this man in front of him. "I would have got you last time, but last time I was fueled by an ever present emotion that ran through me very well."

"You speak like a poet."

"Don't interrupt."

"Go ahead," he put his hand out, giving him the signal.

"That emotion was. . ." a long silence hit them, and the sound of the fire and a small scream, or moan or two was heard. Their voices had muted them, but nothing stood in the way of their waves. "Sakura. She was my fuel. My promise, it was. . ." his voice was small, no longer loud and proud, "to bring you back to her, it was the promise of the lifetime. The thing that makes lifelong friendships or breaks them. I kept shouting, 'My ninja way! My ninja way! My ninja fucking way'."

"I'm sorry I broke your little crush." These words, like their meaning and their purpose, hit Naruto hard. No remorse were in his tongue, his old life was just another memory. The destruction of the village was just a memory.

"Damn it, damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" The words grew stronger with each syllable. "You sorry son of a bitch! How the hell could you! I mean fuck! This village! This god damned village was just torn the hell down, you killed everyone including the person who loved you and the people who loved and knew you best!"

"No one knows me."

"That's what I've come to know." Naruto reached for his pocket, and slowly pulled out an already blood stained kunai. The blood slowly fell off, some stayed on, as Naruto's hand slowly moved across its steel.

A laugh came across Sasuke. "You're gonna fight me?!" he laughed. "Haha no way! Look at you Naruto! Even if you do somehow get that kyuubi back out here, I already defeated it once today."

"You have. . .but. . .I ask you, just one more fight, no super Sharigan or kyuubi here, just a one on one battle to the end. That. . .sadly. . .is all I ask."

"No." Sasuke jumped at him, and flew behind him, dodging under Naruto's kunai slash, which he had preempted. He reached into his pocket and took out his own kunai. He thrust it into Naruto, who had started to flip around.

By the time Naruto had gone all the way around, the kunai had cut through all of Naruto's side and stomach. Blood spew through every possible opening, and soon his own organs followed it through.

Sasuke's arm sat, calm. It didn't twitch, it didn't flinch, it didn't move. It was as if this were a normal day and it sat next to it's master, awaiting its call. Naruto looked up at Sasuke. His eyes were beginning to grow glossy, but his voice still had enough power to laugh.

"You're going to die," said a voice, it wasn't of his, it was powerful, raspy, and crisp, not Naruto's voice. Suddenly light poured out from Naruto's gaping wound. It almost blinded Sasuke, who covered his eyes to shield it's powerful rays.

It seemed like an eternity, but the light continued to pour through, and were heard as a small rushing sound. Almost like water, it flew from the body at an immense rate.

After it was all over, after every little bit had left the body, Naruto fell limp, and Sasuke's eyes first went there. The body, it was the same as before, and nothing new was added onto it, it just sat there, lifeless.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something. Looking up to acknowledge it, Sasuke saw the greatest thing that he wished he'd never seen. The kyuubi, in all of it's ten story glory, stood in front of him.


End file.
